Foster Care Update

I am giving a "brief" foster care update, because you poor friends text me ask how it's going and if I don't respond immediately, then I don't respond at all... Oops!  I will try to give you an update without too many details.

So far, things are going as well as we could hope!  The little girl we have is chipper and fairly happy go lucky most of the time.  She and Emerson get along great (praise the Lord!) and we have all adjusted pretty smoothly so far.  I know there is a "honeymoon period" though, so hopefully things will continue to go smoothly as time passes.  I do have to say that there have already been several instances where I felt like God was with me helping me and I just felt his grace and compassion as this is a stretching experience.  Your prayers have definitely been felt. 

I am definitely glad we took a  grade school kid so I could still have one-on-one time with Emerson during the day, because my attention is definitely divided when both kids are home.  Emerson has been a champ though and I think he actually likes when she is here.  He has taken on the "pesky younger brother role" very quickly to our surprise!

I tried to learn to do cornrows the other day, which ended up being the hardest day we've had since she's been here.  There were tears from both of us.  But we survived.  However, it probably needs to be braided every 1-2 weeks and I am NOT proficient.  And it is a battle to do it.  I dread when it needs to be done again. 

She has a visit with her mom today and I've heard foster kids can have really bad days on visit days.  This morning wasn't awful, it was just a little bit like pulling teeth to get her to get ready.  I keep praying for her while she's at school today that she can stay focused and behave well even though she probably has other things on her mind.  She seemed to have mixed feelings about visits this morning.  How sad it is for a young child to only see her mother 1-2 hours a week.  It's just not natural, not how God designed it. 

Our prayer is also that we can love her like we love our biological kids.  Even if she is only here a short time, it will be most beneficial to her if we love her that way.  Here are some encouraging verses I've been praying the last few weeks:

"But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.  So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us."   1 Thessalonians 2:7-8

"For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory."   1 Thessalonians 2:11-12

If you want here are a few things you can pray for: 
1.  That things will continue to go smoothly, that God will give us wisdom in parenting her, even right as issues arise, and also that she will continue to be receptive to our discipline and authority.
2.  That God will continue helping us to love her rightly and see her through his eyes.  That she will see His love through us.
3.  That God's will will be done for this case and that she can know how to sort through all her mixed feelings that no 6 year old should ever have to experience. 
4.  That our pregnancy will continue to go smoothly and there will not be too much added stress or exhaustion that negatively affects it.  That I carry Lyla full term and she is healthy and that we don't feel stretched too thin with having 3 kids. 

Thanks so so much friends!!